


Blood

by xIreth



Category: Naruto
Genre: Angst, Established Relationship, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-07-25
Updated: 2011-07-25
Packaged: 2017-10-21 18:01:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 536
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/228037
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xIreth/pseuds/xIreth
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Again, no one could console him. Again, no one could convince him it wasn’t his fault. Again, he cried. Shikamaru was tired of making mistakes, tired of taking so many lives in his hands and not holding on tight enough.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Blood

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own any part of the Naruto franchise. All I own is the plot and writing. I am not making any money from this.

Shikamaru could still remember that horrible night. Everyone said it hadn't been his fault. It felt like the retrieval mission all over again, only this time it was worse—he was there to see everything as it happened. No separation, no just having faith in him and yet the Nara still wasn’t able to do anything.

Maybe he had been overconfident this time. After all, it had already been his fifth mission as ANBU team leader and they had all gone smooth before. It happened so fast, even with Neji using his Byakugan. There had been so much blood. Two of the five-man squad didn’t even survive the first attack.

He wasn’t sure how long it took to chase them off, but they were all exhausted by then. There had been a leak, they had known they were coming and there was no way they could continue. He ordered a retreat, but he couldn’t spot Neji. Panicking, Shikamaru searched for his lover and froze when he found him.

The Hyuuga wasn’t moving except for a very shallow breath every now and then. It wasn’t until he gave a bloody cough that Shikamaru snapped back into action and scooped him up. He knew it was better not to move him—he wasn’t trained in medicine and healing, but he knew enough that he wouldn’t survive out there long enough for a medic-nin to get there. Shikamaru sped off as fast as he could, his remaining teammate following behind him.

Once Konoha was in view, everything became a blur. Getting to the hospital, handing Neji off reluctantly, everything happened so fast. He refused a checkup for himself (it was just chakra depletion, nothing worth wasting time on) and stayed outside the ICU.

Just waiting.

Again, no one could console him. Again, no one could convince him it wasn’t his fault. Again, he cried. Shikamaru was tired of making mistakes, tired of taking so many lives in his hands and not holding on tight enough.

It took months to convince the Nara otherwise. He knew he shouldn’t be scared, knew he shouldn’t blame himself, but it was impossible. He hadn’t been fit for ANBU yet. He was ready to quit being a ninja all together. It was so hard seeing his lover in danger, dying in his arms. Maybe he could have handled it differently if it had been some faceless ninja, but Neji?

Shikamaru shuddered and rubbed his temples. Even now, he still thought about it every night. It haunted him, sometimes he could still see all that blood on the ground when he closed his eyes.

He started just a little, feeling arms wrap around him. He glanced behind him and smiled just a little.

“…I’m sorry,” Shikamaru murmured, reaching up a hand and tracing over the large scar Neji now bore, running from his jaw line and down to his collarbone.

Neji leaned forward and kissed him firmly. “I’m still alive, there’s no need to be sorry. I love you.”

Shikamaru released a small sigh and leaned back against his lover. It was okay, he hadn’t died. He had failed horribly, but not everyone had died. Maybe he could start forgiving himself.

“…I love you too.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt #32 from the SNS Day Challenge on y!gallery.


End file.
